The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-12-08

squirming in other quarters. NearIJ
the hrst question asked by Majol
Blackburn for the defense brought on,
the fact that Wiltshire had deposited
checks aggregating $500, 600 on First
National Bank of this city and S95 ,OOC
on the Merchants Bank with the Fidel.
| 1ty Bank, where they were treated as
cash. He had not that amount OF
money in those banks at the time the
checks were drawn, but he
did it because he was in
structed to do SO by Harper. whom
he supposed to be abundantly able to
take care of the checks.
Said Blackburn, looking the witness
squarely in the eye:
First National to the amount of $780,
coo, drawn by you May g, 1887. How
much money had you in that bank at
| that timer"
Wiltshire, reddening a little and look
ing at the floor, said:
Il can't tell"
''Well, was it $40, OOO?''
Don't remember"
Don't you know it was not as much
as SIC, 00O?''
Perhaps it was not IS
"Yet you drew for $3.50, COOP
Looks that way" said the witness,
looking with smile at the documents
in Major Blackburn's hands.
Now" said Blackburn, ''do you
call that legitimate business?''
81 don't call it illegitimate.'
What, putting out bogus checks
with no money behind them?"
81 did not know what Mr.. Harper
had done to protect them, and looked
to him for protection, +" was the explain
alton, which was more satisfactory to
the witness than to the others who
heard it.
At this point the court took recess
till the afternoon.
Mr.. Harper is still attended by his
wife and her sister, and gives close at
tention to all that transpires. He has
watched with eager interest the face of
this witness, his broker. who has, in
plain words, laid bare the entire trans
action.
@ EXAMINER POWELL'S STORY.
CINCINNATI, Dec. 2.-The Harper
trial opened with the usual crowd of
spectators. and the same groups of at
tOrneys and reporters about the tables.
Mr.. Schofield, of the First National
Bank of New York, explained the &C
counts of his bank with the Fidelity,
stating among other things that the
Fidelity general account showed a
credit of $500, 600, while their special
account showed a deficit of $500, GOO.
But he answered to the court that it
was the agreement that the special &C
count was not to be drawn upon.
Mr.. Harper showed more than usual
feeling during this witnesses testi-
mony, and shook his head vehemently
as he made a suggestion to his coun-
sci.
Bank Examiner Powell, who was the
governments agent in closing the
doors of the Fidelity last June, told his
story, how he was begged by Harper to
pass examination, and was then asked
to telegraph to the comptroller of the
Gu -rency for authority to not make eX-
animation, but he still refused. He
then found tell-tale memorandum
checks as cash representing $500: 900.
Briggs Swift, president, said he
never knew of them till then.
Harper, when asked for an explana-
ton, shrugged his shoulders and walk
ed away in silence.
Mr.. Vowel, discount clerk, showed
that discounts to the amount of S142,-
600 were made between January and
June, but most of them remained un-
collected.
The defense then drew from the wit
ness, in spite of the efforts of the gov
eminent counsel to prevent it, state
ment that w. H. Chatfield, one of the
directors of the bank, was the one
in whose name discounts appeared as
late as June 18th. The witness made
comical efforts to withdraw his hasty
answer by clapping his hand to his
mouth, but the story was beyond re-
call.
w. A. Lucins, general bookkeeper,
testified to a letter of advice from a
party who had no funds in the bank.
Harper took that letter and draft, and
| it next appeared in Harper'S. account,
| with his endorsement.
The cross examination of Mr.. Lucius
| was continued without producing any
thing interesting.
Mr.. Quinlan, of the Chemical Bank
| of New York, was recalled to
testify about whether the draft
upon his bank for $50, 900,
mentioned in his testimony yesterday,
had gone to Harper's individual &C
| count or not. He said he had received
a telegram that would enable him to
| answer, but the evidence in that form
was ruled inadmissable.
Paul D. Ashbrook, a smooth faced
boyish witness, stated that
he was the individual book
keeper of the Fidelity National
bank, and had charge of the accounts
from A to J, which of course included
Mr.. Harper's. It was concerning this
i
Harpers account was frequently over
drawn. At one time in May
1t was overdrawn SIT, 900. He indicated
overdrafts at the time they were made
in Harper's account but after they
were made in the account of Harper
s. Co. Witness read the fluctuations
of Harper's and other accounts in which
he was interested from January to
June. Nearly all were overdrawn
1 4hn GoSE
| witness had marked the overdrafts
DR." in red ink. Usually overdrafts
ran for short time, but Mr.. Harper
had told him these were to run fol
some time. Witness was not sure that
Harper had instructed him to omit the
DR." in these overdrafts.
G. J. Kershaw, the Chicago broker
was recalled and identified a number
of letters of advice signed by Hopkins
assistant cashier of the Fidelity Bank
also number of kilograms signed
Fidelity Bank relating to transfers OF
money by the Fidelity to the American
Exchange National Bank of Chicago
When the district attorney called
Briggs Swift there was murmur Of
expectation, for this is the name of the
venerable president of the late Fidelity
Bank. A tall, straight man with
white hair and beard, both scanty
walked with almost Youthful step Il
the witness stand. This was Brigg!
Swift, a man who had lived more thar
his three score and ten years, and whC
has spent all Of his business life in Gin
cinnati with never so much as staiI
upon his business integrity until TIT
merciless hand of the government
placed an Indictment upoI
its records against him along will
Harper and other officers of the bank
There are few business men in Cincin
natl who could conceive of Brigg
Swift doing dishonorable act, ant
there was much curiosity as to how ht
would talk when called as witness
| Almost the first question produce,
, laughter. He was asked if he knew
his bank was engaged in wheat deal
: II did not''-was his blunt answer
3 He then went on to say that he aske
Harper in January last, if he was il
5 the wheat deal, and Harper sal
3 he had not a dollar il
3 it. Later I sent him lette
| asking the same question. and he n